Feed-hopper.



P. J. SGHISLER.

FEED HOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1912.

Patented May 27, 1913.

WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH (20., WASHINGTON. D. c.

FRANK J. SCHISLER, OF WINTHROP, MINNESOTA.

FEED-HOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27, 1913.

Application filed May 4, 1912. Serial No. 695,257.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. SoHIsLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Winthrop, in the county of Sibley and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Feed-Hoppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in feed hoppers, for poultry, pigeons, etc.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a metal hopper of the character described which will be sanitary, and in which the contents are protected from contamination from any source, and dust, vermin and moisture are excluded.

A further object is to provide means for automatically uncovering the feed when the poultry, etc., approach the same and for automatically maintaining a constant supply of the feed in a readily accessible position.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of a feed hopper made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view.

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates a hopper-like casing which may be divided into a plurality of hoppers or compartments 11, by end walls and partitions 12. The bottom of the casing 10 is extended forwardly beyond the front wall, as indicated at 13, the front wall of said extended portion being curved upwardly to form a trough 14 which communicates with the interior of the casing through an opening 15. Pivotally supported by the end walls of the trough 14 are arms 16 which are provided with offset portions 17, which in turn support a cover 18 curved to conform to the curvature of the front wall of the trough. It will be noted in this connection that the curvature of the front wall of the trough 14, and the curvature of the cover, are both concentric with the pivots supporting the arms 16. Said cover is provided with end walls or flanges 19 which are secured to the offset portions 17, the inner edge of said cover being provided with a lip or flange 20 to limit the outward movement of the cover. The arms 16 are provided with weights 21 which act to hold the cover 18 in a normally closed position, the closing movement of said cover being limited by the front wall of the casing 10. Pivotally connected to the ends of the casing 10 are arms 22 which rest upon pins 23 carried by the offset portions 17 said arms being provided with depending portions 24: and forward extensions 25 united by rods 26, or the like, to form a platform or perch. It will be noted that the pins 23 are eccentric to the pivots of the arms 16.

In operation, it will be noted that the weights 21 are suflicient to hold the cover 18 normally closed. When a fowl desires to feed it cannot approach the trough without stepping upon the platform 26, whereupon the weight added to the platform causes the arms 22 to rock upon their pivots. This effects a downward movement of the pins 23, thereby rocking the arms 16 and opening the trough by moving the cover in a forward direction. As long as the fowl remains upon the perch 0r platform it may feed from the trough, but the instant that its Weight is removed from said platform, the weights 21 effect the instant closing movement of the cover, and raising of platform 26.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the feed is automatically uncovered as the fowls approach the hopper, and as the material is removed from the trough a new supply is constantly added through the opening 15. A suitable cover is provided for the casing 10, and by reason of the automatic closing of the trough, the contents of the trough and hopper are protected from contamination, and dust, vermin and moisture are excluded, thereby maintaining an absolutely sanitary condition.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention and described an operative manner of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, what I claim is r 1. A feed hopper comprising a casing provided with a trough, a pivoted cover for said trough, arms each pivoted at one end to the respective ends of the casing, and a poultry platform secured to the free ends of said arms, said cover being provided with means cooperating with said arms to sustain the weight of the latter at a oint between their pivots and said plat orm, the

latter being held in a normally elevated position.

2. A feed hopper comprising a casing provided with a trough, a cover for said trough, counterbalancing members pivotally connected to the ends of said casing and each having one end rigidly secured to said cover to support the same, arms each pivoted at one end to the respective ends of the casing, and a poultry platform secured to the free ends of said arms, said cover being provided with means cooperating with said arms to sustain the weight of the latter at a point between their pivots and said platform, the latter being held in a normally elevated position.

3. A feed hopper comprising a casing provided with a trough, a cover provided with end flanges extending downwardly over the sides of said casing, counterbalancing members pivotally connected to the ends of the casing and each provided with an offset portion rigidly connected to the end flanges of the cover to support the latter, a movable poultry platform the weight of which is sustained by said cover when the latter is in closed position, whereby said platform is normally supported in an elevated position.

4. A feed hopper comprising a casing provided with a trough, a cover provided with end flanges extending downwardly over the side of said casing, counterbalancing members pivotally connected to the ends of the casing and each provided with an offset portion rigidly connected to the end flanges of the cover to support the latter, arms each pivoted at one end to the respective ends of the casing, and a poultry platform carried by the free ends of said arms, said cover being provided with means cooperating with said arms to sustain the weight of the latter at a point between their pivots and said platform, the latter being held in a normally elevated position.

5. A feed hopper comprising a casing provided with a trough, a cover pivoted to said trough and mounted to slide in a curved path, arms each pivoted at one end to the respective ends of the casing, and a poultry platform carried by the free ends of said arms, said cover being provided with means cooperating with said arms to normally support the plat-form in an elevated position, said cover and trough being provided with complemental abutments to limit the opening movement of the cover.

6. A feed hopper comprising a casing provided with a trough, weighted arms pivotally connected to said trough and provided with eccentric pins, a cover supported by said arms, and a platform pivoted to said casing and resting upon said pins.

7. A feed hopper comprising a casing provided wit-h a trough, weighted arms pivotally connected to said trough and provided with ofi'set portions, a cover supported by said offset portions, lateral pins car-. ried by said offset portions, and a platform pivoted to said casing and resting upon said pins.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK J. SCHISLER. Witnesses WM. S. Hooons, M. E. SMITH.

Gqpies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). 0 

